Homeway Homes wins top ActOnEnergy award
- Details
- Published on Sunday, 24 February 2013 14:37
- Written by Paul Gordon
From the time Homeway Homes started in business in 2005 it has been committed to building energy efficient houses able to stand the test of time.
It was rewarded for that commitment on Saturday with the first Outstanding Program Ally award for Ameren Corp.'s ActOnEnergy program. The award was presented outside the model home Homeway Homes erected inside the Peoria Civic Center as part of the annual Spring Home Show.
To date more than 50 of the Homeway Homes floor plans meet the guidelines necessary to be certified as an Energy Star builder. That is a prerequisite to being a participant in the ActOnEnergy program.
"This is a very important honor for us because of the commitment to energy efficiency we have made and have always had since my father started the company," said Ted Schieler, president of Goodfield-based Homeway Homes. He accepted the Program Ally award from Larry Brown, program director for Conservation Services Group, an Ameren ActOnEnergy program partner.
Brown said the Outstanding Ally Award is basically the ActOnEnergy program's "builder of the year" award. Selecting Homeway Homes to be the first recipient of the Ally award wasn't difficult, he added.
"Even though the ActOnEnergy program has been in place for four years now, this is the first of these awards because we needed to build up the number of builders that are part of the program. We have many builders with us now, but Homeway Homes has been part of the program from the beginning," Brown said.
"We wanted to recognize this company not only for its production values in meeting the Energy Star requirements every yea, but also for its continuing focus on doing the right thing, " he added. "This company is the kind of ally the ActOnEnergy program needs."
To be Energy Star certified homes must be verified, by a third party, to be at least 30 percent more energy efficient than homes built to the 1993 national Kodel Energy Code or 15 percent more energy efficient than the state energy code, whichever is more rigorous, according to ActOnEnergy program literature.
Homeway Homes is the only downstate Illinois builder to be certified 100 percent Energy Star compliant, it said. Schieler said that is something his company takes pride in.
"We build and sell only Energy Star certified homes," Schieler said. "Being part of the ActOnEnergy program made perfect sense for us because energy efficiency has always been one of our staples. This award illustrates our commitment to efficient building practices, our deep respect for the environment and our dedication to the principles of sustainability.
"A lot of builders can say they are energy efficient but this is good way to prove it," Schieler said.
The Homeway Homes factory is in Deer Creek. The company gives regulars tours of the plant to show customers how each component is made, including how each is made to certain Energy Star specifications.
The company has model home centers in Goodfield, Springfield and Galesburg. It's floor plans can be viewed on the company website, www.homewayhomes.com.
